KAZAKHSTAN REPORTS OF FIRST CASES OF H1N1

UNCLAS ASTANA 001253 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB, OES/PCI MOSCOW FOR ESTH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL SENV KFLU KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN REPORTS OF FIRST CASES OF H1N1 ¶1. SUMMARY: The local press reported the first cases of H1N1 influenza in Kazakhstan on July 23. There are three confirmed and three suspected cases. CDC Almaty reports that the Kazakhstanis will send viral samples from the infected individuals to an outside laboratory for independent confirmation of H1N1. END SUMMARY. PRESS REPORTS FIRST CASES OF H1N1 ¶2. Kazakhstan reported its first cases of H1N1 on July 23. Three Kazakhstani students who returned from London were diagnosed with confirmed cases. "The H1N1 flu has been confirmed in three children who returned to Astana after studying in London," Kazakhstan's Chief Public Health Officer, Anatoliy Belonog, told the Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency. ¶3. Three additional Kazakhstani children are suspected of having contracted the virus. "Six suspected H1N1 flu cases were registered in Astana on July 23. Of these, the (H1N1) diagnosis was confirmed in three children, and three others are under suspicion," stated a press release circulated by the Health Ministry. The press release also noted that "all the sufferers are children between 12 and 15, who studied in Great Britain from June 18 to July 19." The head of the Astana environmental health inspection directorate, Zhandarbek Bekshin, told the press that two children with confirmed cases were in the hospital, though their condition is improving. A third child with a confirmed case and three children with suspected cases are being observed and given treatment at home. ¶4. Bekshin said that all Kazakhstani citizens who leave Kazakhstan will be registered by the health authorities. Upon their return to Kazakhstan, they will be subject to H1N1 preventative measures. Bekshin said that the authorities do not plan to postpone the start of the academic year because thus far there are very few cases of H1N1. CDC SENDS SAMPLES TO LAB FOR CONFIRMATION ¶5. CDC Almaty reports that Kazakhstan's National Influenza Center (NIC) performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing on samples from the infected individuals. Because pandemic H1N1 has not been confirmed in Central Asia previously, the NIC will send samples for confirmation to an outside reference laboratory. CDC and NIC have agreed that the World Health Organization (WHO) pandemic/avian influenza reference lab in Novosibirsk, Russia will probably be able to provide the quickest turnaround. HOAGLAND